Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

The Managing Emotions team is made up of a blend of people from many different backgrounds. Some of us are mental health professionals, and some of us bring our own experiences of living with our own mental health struggles, and our stories of recovery. Whatever our background, every member of the team is committed to and passionate about empowering people to be able to learn how to manage and cope with difficult emotions.

This will be determined by your referrer – they will discuss with you which course may be most appropriate for you. It can often help to attend our Course 1 first if you are new to attending groups. You can do just one course or you may benefit from attending more. You do not have to do them in order. You can also repeat a course if you would find it helpful. 

Our courses vary in length:    
Course 1     -    2.5hrs        -    1 session
Course 2    -    2hrs        -    4 sessions (1 per week)
Course 3    -    2hrs        -    8 sessions (1 per week)
Carers        -    2.5hrs        -    4 sessions (1 per week)
 

No. We are not therapists and we will not be asking you to share anything painful or traumatic or tell us your life story. It is totally up to you how much or little you wish to share about yourself.

The courses we deliver are psycho-educational. This means we aim to teach you new skills and strategies to manage your emotions, share knowledge and information to enhance understanding and, where it may be helpful, share our own experiences.  
 

The courses we deliver are psycho-educational. This means we aim to teach you skills and strategies to manage your emotions, share knowledge and information to enhance your understanding and, where it may be helpful, we may share our own experiences.  Sessions start with a quick check-in to see how everyone is doing. You can say as much or as little as you like and you can write in the chat if you prefer not to speak. We love it when we can see you, but if it feels too difficult you can choose to have your camera off.

The sessions are in two halves, with a break in the middle. There will be periods of listening to the facilitators and at other times we will have group discussions and use the workbook (which is sent to you in advance).  At the end, we do a quick check-out. 

The courses are interactive and there will be times where we will invite you to participate in some discussions to support the learning process. It is totally up to you how much you choose to share with the group, we will not ask you personal questions about your life or ask you to share anything that may be painful.

Remember, you can use the chat function if speaking feels difficult. We believe that you will get more out of the course if you are able to participate, even a little. 

Group sizes are capped at 10. Usually there will be around 4-7 group members. There will also be at least two or sometimes three facilitators (depending on the course and number of participants). 

You will need a computer, laptop, tablet or phone with Wi-Fi or data to access the internet via MS Teams. You can download the MS Teams app (it’s free) or you can access MS Teams using your web browser.

If you are using a phone, it may be more difficult to see the slides and other people on the course, but it is still possible, so please don’t be put off if this is your only means. You will also need a webcam and microphone (either built-in or separate) so you can be seen and speak during the session. 

We know that many people will feel nervous or even anxious about joining a group session for the first time, but we have found that people tend to feel less anxious after the first 5 or ten minutes, and often tell us that by the end, they feel much better than at the beginning, and are glad they came. One of the nice things about an online session is that you can join us from the comfort of your own surroundings. Whilst we love being able to see you, you can switch off your camera if that feels safer or less anxiety-provoking for you. If you want to join in a discussion but speaking feels uncomfortable, there is a chat function that you can use. If you are finding the session difficult and feel like you want to leave, please reach out to the facilitators. 

For courses 2 and 3 we will direct you to the independent learning contained in your workbooks (which are sent out to you in advance). There is more in course 3 than in course 2. The independent learning tasks are optional, but you will gain a huge amount more from the course if you are able to have a go and try practising what you have been learning about in the sessions. We believe this to be a helpful and useful process to support your learning. 

Don’t panic! Contact our admin team and they will try and help you solve the problem over the phone. They will also let the facilitators know what is happening. If the problem can't be fixed, don't worry, we will re-book you onto another course if needed.

We understand that sometimes emergencies happen, and you may be running late or unable to make a session. In these cases, please let our admin team know as soon as possible. If you are running more than 15 minutes late, we cannot guarantee that you will be able to join the session.

Yes, depending on the circumstances. Please contact us to discuss your requirements in more detail and make sure we are doing everything we can to make the course accessible for you and if there are any adjustments we may need to make for you.

We ask that people acting in a supportive role remain off-screen and they will not be able to participate in discussions or the chat in their own capacity.

We will do our best to accommodate any specific requirements or adjustments that you may need.

Please contact us team to discuss in more detail prior to attending the course and we will make sure we do our best to make the course accessible for you.

The courses will be facilitated by 2 or sometimes 3 members of the team, with a mixture of people who have a clinical background and someone who has experience of living with a mental health condition. At times there may be 1 other person observing our courses which is an opportunity to support their own learning, but they will be in the background and not participating. 

We run a limited number of face to face courses. These are held in community spaces, such as halls and community centres, and follow the same format as our online courses.

If you would be interested in a face to face course, please let our admin team know when you book your course. 

We ask you to complete an outcome questionnaire to get your feedback on how you found the course. We value and appreciate all your feedback and it helps us to make improvements.

You will also receive a resource pack listing details of other services that you can access, including SUN – a peer support network, and the Recovery College which offers a variety of courses. 

All our courses can be accessed via a referral through GPimhs or MHICS who are mental health professionals linked to your GP Surgery. If you wish to attend any of our other courses, please contact your referrer to be re-referred. If you do not know who your referrer is then please contact us and we can assist you.